What do Chileans eat, drink and dance on el dieciocho?

The dieciocho, piece by piece

Where

• la fonda a temporary dance hall of wood and branches, built in the squares
• la ramada the countryside name, from la rama, branch

The dance

• la cueca the national dance since 1979; dancers hold a white handkerchief and turn — It imitates a cockerel and a hen.
• el pañuelo the handkerchief
• las competencias September competitions; every child learns it at school

The food

• la empanada de pino beef, onion, egg and one olive — Pino comes from a Mapuche word for the minced-meat filling.
• el asado barbecue
• los anticuchos meat skewers

The drinks

• la chicha sweet fermented grape juice
• el terremoto sweet white wine with pineapple ice cream — The second glass is la réplica, the aftershock.

The sky

• el volantín the kite, flown on the hills and in the parks — Chile; elsewhere la cometa or el papalote.

• Fondas, big structures of wood and branches, are built in the squares; inside people eat, drink and above all dance the cueca.
• The cueca has been Chile's national dance since 1979; dancers hold a white handkerchief; children learn it at school and compete in September.
• Millions of empanadas de pino are eaten; the terremoto is sweet white wine with pineapple ice cream, and the second glass is called la réplica.

En las plazas se construyen fondas: casas grandes de madera y ramas.

In the squares fondas are built: big structures of wood and branches.

Los bailarines llevan un pañuelo blanco en la mano y dan vueltas.

The dancers hold a white handkerchief in their hand and turn in circles.

Se comen millones de empanadas de pino, con carne, cebolla, huevo y una aceituna.

Millions of empanadas de pino are eaten, with beef, onion, egg and one olive.

En los bares sirven el terremoto: vino blanco dulce con helado de piña.

In the bars they serve the terremoto: sweet white wine with pineapple ice cream.